Liquid dispenser for dispensing water and a flavored beverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water dispensers face challenges in sanitization due to complex water contact components and the inability to efficiently dispense both water and flavored beverages, with Top-Loading systems struggling with heavy water bottles and Bottom-Loading systems being difficult to sanitize and costly to produce.
Innovation Solution
A liquid dispenser design featuring a removable water dispensing assembly and flavored beverage dispensing assembly, allowing for easy cleaning and replacement, with a single water pump and control system to supply water at lower pressure to the flavored dispensing assembly, and a main housing with moveable covers for access and sanitization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If Top-Loading water dispensers are used, then water can be dispensed using gravity, but heavy water bottles are difficult to mount and the system is expensive to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional Top-Loading design by implementing a Bottom-Loading configuration where the water bottle is positioned at the bottom of the housing rather than the top. This inversion allows the pump to draw water upward from the bottom reservoir, eliminating the need for gravity-based dispensing while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost compared to complex pump systems in traditional bottom-loading designs
2Ease of operation
If Bottom-Loading water dispensers are used, then heavy water bottles are easier to install, but the system employs significantly more water contact components making sanitization difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the water contact components into modular assemblies that can be easily removed and sanitized. The water path is divided into separate, removable components including the water bottle, pump inlet assembly, and dispensing components, allowing each segment to be independently cleaned and sanitized without disassembling the entire device
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and makes removable the water contact components from the main housing. The water bottle and associated pumping components are designed as removable assemblies that can be taken out for sanitization, reducing the complexity of maintaining water contact surfaces compared to integrated bottom-loading systems
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional liquid dispensers are used, then water can be dispensed, but the system cannot dispense flavored beverages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal dispensing system where a single water pump and dispensing mechanism can handle both plain water and flavored beverages. The system uses a removable water contact assembly that can be configured for different beverage types, allowing one machine to perform multiple functions without requiring separate complex dispensing systems for water and flavored drinks
4Ease of repair
If removable assemblies are implemented for sanitization, then cleaning becomes easier, but the device becomes more complex to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dispensing system into removable water contact assemblies that can be easily taken out for sanitization. These modular components include the water bottle, pump inlet, and dispensing elements, which can be removed and cleaned separately without requiring complex disassembly procedures or specialized tools
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enables effective sanitization and replacement of both water and flavored beverage dispensing assemblies, improving user convenience and reducing production costs while allowing for the dispensing of both water and flavored beverages at various temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a pump supplied water from the water storage container to the water dispensing assembly and the flavored beverage dispensing assembly
Implementation Method 2
a heating element in the housing heated water in the water storage container
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid dispensing apparatus for dispensing water and a flavored beverage. The dispensing apparatus may dispense chilled drinking water, hot drinking water and/or ambient temperature drinking water. The dispensing apparatus may further dispense a chilled, ambient temperature and/or hot flavored beverage. The flavored beverage may be coffee, tea, hot chocolate or another flavored beverage. The dispensing apparatus may include a replaceable five (5) gallon water bottle stored in a lower portion of the dispensing apparatus or an external source of water. Preferably, the liquid dispensing apparatus dispenses chilled drinking water and hot coffee from a replaceable five (5) gallon water bottle stored in a lower portion of the dispensing apparatus wherein the replaceable five (5) gallon water bottle is stored in an upright orientation, i.e., the discharge port of the replaceable five (5) gallon water bottle is oriented above a bottom of the replaceable five (5) gallon water bottle.